ABSTRACT
The growth of cable television and the advances in video production technology have created numerous opportunities for savvy entrepreneurs. Before talking about some of the cost-effective ways to use this powerful medium, I would like to give you a few general rules to bear in mind with regard to creating an effective commercial:
Realize that the first five seconds of the commercial are vital. This is the critical point where people might change channels. You might think of the start of a commercial as being analogous to the headline of a print advertisement. While some commercials do save their best for the last five seconds, in most instances, you need to lead from your conceptual strength and create something exciting or memorable right at the get-go. Think about the commercials you like and you will probably discover that you can recall the first few scenes or frames quite vividly.
Most effective commercials have one key visual that contains the most important, compelling, and memorable aspect of the message. In the Michelin Tire commercials, it is probably the babies in the tires. In the Honda commercial, it is the car on the museum wall. In the old Hertz commercials, it was the driver being deposited in the car seat from high above the convertible. When you think about creating a commercial for your product or service, you may want to identify the key visual before you actually write the rest of the spot. If you have one scene or image that carries the essence of your message, you probably have created a commercial that will be easy to remember.
As I noted elsewhere in this book, I have taught hundreds of people how to write advertisements and commercials. Over the years, I have observed that good print advertisements are often easily transformed into an effective television commercial. If you already have a good print campaign with a rich concept, you should be able to build a story board from this advertisement. In some cases, the same holds true for radio commercials. Similarly, sometimes what works in radio will also work in television.
If you don't know where to start when you begin to create your television commercial, think about a way of transforming your business or product into the hero of the spot. Think of your product as being The Lone Ranger or Superman and write the copy for your commercial from this perspective.
Television is a visual medium, but it also involves sound and words. Consequently, you can begin your spot with an unusual or attention-getting visual image, sound, tune, word, or phrase.
Effective television commercials successfully integrate sight, sound, and motion. Give careful thought to the way the visuals, the dialogue, the sound effects, and the music will all work together. In some instances, you may elect to use a soundtrack that contrasts with the visuals you are showing in your spot. This kind of unusual linkage is part of what makes television a magical medium. Use these magical powers to present unusual, attention-getting images that do not exist in the minds of your target audience. Special effects, extreme close-ups, and unusual camera angles can help to make your spot more appealing and more memorable.
Think about the pace of the spot. Many commercials are produced in what might be described as an MTV format. A quick pace with lots of cuts and different scenes is very exciting and appropriate for some products, but a slower pace may be right for another. For example, you probably wouldn't use a lot of quick cuts if you were creating a commercial for a plastic surgery group. But this might be a very exciting and acceptable format for a fast-food restaurant.
Try to create a commercial that will entertain people, inform them, and persuade them to do whatever it is you want them to do.
Produce a commercial that is easy to like, easy to understand, and easy to remember. Many outstanding commercials are very simple.
A commercial is a thirty- or sixty-second story, adventure, tale, or show. Think about how you can use these precious and costly seconds most effectively.
As with messages you have created for other media, try to develop a campaign theme that you can stay with, adapt, expand on, or utilize effectively for many years. You can get a lot of mileage and utility out of a rich idea, as opposed to a concept that has only short-term appeal. The Maytag Man, Danny, The Honda Salesman, and Charlie The Tuna have been around for quite some time. Each of these characters has produced a lot of recognition, brand awareness, and profits for their respective companies and products. In your own advertising, try to create a character, theme, or story that will stand the test of time.
When you can, try to incorporate some of the hypnotic techniques I outlined earlier into your television spots. For example, do something in the first five seconds that will pique viewers' curiosity, causing them to wonder what is going on and what will happen next. As I noted elsewhere, a lot of advertisements and commercials are interesting and effective because they produce this feeling in the viewing audience. The Federal Express spots in which the man is speaking very rapidly and the Krazy Glue spots in which the man is hanging from his construction helmet are just a few examples of com-mercials that capture the viewer's interest long enough for them to watch the spot. In addition, both of these commercials have some entertainment value, so people enjoy watching them repeatedly.
